Columbia’s Elevating and Empowering Student Voices Club recently hosted an in-school field trip focused on empathy, social media, and belonging. Approximately 50 students attended the event, which was facilitated by club leaders Kole James Hardy ’25, Ellie Keenholts ’25, Reina Sullivan ’26, and centered on the positives and negatives of social media, as well as the silent struggles students may be facing.

Participants were selected based on responses to a school-wide survey asking, “What does an inclusive school environment mean to you?” During the event, students brainstormed ways to make Columbia a more inclusive space.

“I want students to know that there are others around them that see the same judgement and negativity associated with school and want to change it,” said student leader Ellie Keenholts ’25. “We want to make a positive impact,  treat others with kindness, and make Columbia a more inclusive school.”

Students broke into small groups and wrote anonymous responses to prompts on sticky notes. The prompts included:

• Something other might not know about me…
• Something I really like about our school community…
• One of the biggest issues I think we have at our school is …
• Something that my teachers do or others in the school do to help everyone feel a sense of belonging is …
• I am concerned about…

To wrap up the day students were tasked with writing different characteristics that made them unique on a large banner.

“I just want everyone to know that they have a say and they have a voice,” said Reina Sullivan ’26.

The student leaders will be attending a Youth Summit hosted by Questar III BOCES , where they will meet with students from other districts to explore how other schools are promoting inclusivity.

“It’s nice because we get to see what other schools are doing,” said Kole James Hardy ’25. “Each school has their own issues and their own things that they’re going through so it’s nice to see what they’ve done.”